Shakespeare Sportfisher Fishing Mono filament Line
Nylon monofilament carries minimal PFAS concern.
This standard nylon monofilament fishing line has no disclosed treatments or coatings linked to PFAS. The base material itself presents lower risk than coated alternatives.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Monofilament nylon fishing line
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
UV degradation and polymer breakdown
Extended sunlight exposure degrades nylon monofilament's tensile strength over months; this is a mechanical failure risk (line breakage during use), not a chemical hazard, but users should store spools indoors.
Environmental persistence (post-consumer)
Discarded monofilament is known to persist in aquatic environments for years and entangle wildlife; this is an environmental hazard tied to disposal, not consumer safety, but responsible end-of-life handling is important.
What’s reassuring
Base material not linked to PFAS
The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
Microplastic shedding (use phase)
No published data indicates that intact monofilament line sheds microplastics during normal fishing use; breakage and wear release polymer fragments, but the quantity and environmental persistence are not established for this specific product.
Dyes or colorants (if colored variant)
Shakespeare Sportfisher is typically sold in clear or low-visibility transparent formulations; colored variants may use azo dyes or synthetic colorants, but no safety data or concerns are on record for standard monofilament dye packs.
Heavy metals
Nylon monofilament does not require lead, cadmium, or antimony in typical formulations; no recalls or test reports document metal contamination in Shakespeare or comparable consumer monofilament products.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Shakespeare Sportfisher monofilament is extruded nylon (typically nylon 6 or nylon 6.6), a thermoplastic polymer designed for strength and abrasion resistance in freshwater and saltwater fishing. Monofilament is cast into a single continuous strand and does not undergo the same processing as woven textiles or coated cookware, so it avoids many chemical additives tied to those products. The material is chemically inert under normal fishing conditions (cold water, ambient light, mechanical stress) and does not leach into water or contact food.
The brand's record and disclosure
Shakespeare is a long-established fishing tackle manufacturer (part of the pure fishing group) with no documented product recalls, safety alerts, or chemical disclosure controversies related to monofilament line. The brand does not publish detailed material safety data sheets for consumer fishing line products, which is standard in the fishing tackle industry and not atypical. No third-party testing or independent safety certifications specific to this product line are publicly available.
How it compares in its category
Monofilament fishing line as a category shows lower concern regarding fluorinated chemicals because the finished product is a simple, stable polymer with minimal processing or additive chemistry. Alternatives such as fluorocarbon line (also nylon-derivative) or braided polyethylene lines carry comparable safety profiles. Unlike some specialty coated lines or colored monofilaments, standard clear monofilament typically requires no dyes, UV absorbers, or proprietary additives that could pose hazards.
If you buy it
Store monofilament in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to preserve strength and prevent brittleness over time; UV exposure degrades nylon polymer structure but does not release hazardous chemicals. Replace line annually or after heavy use, as degraded line can snap unexpectedly during casting. Dispose of used line responsibly in a waste bin, not in water or natural areas, as monofilament poses an entanglement hazard to wildlife and persists for years in the environment. Normal handling and contact with skin or water poses no established health risk.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Shakespeare has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More fishing line grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.